Resilient suspension device for the front wheels of motor cycles



May 22,- 1923.

s. WHITING RESILIENT SUSPENSION DEVICE FOR THE FRONT WHEELS 0F MOTOR CYCLES Filad May '7. 1921 Oxford Chambers, Bourke Patented May 22, I923.

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SAVILLE WRITING, OF MELBOURNE, VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA.

RESILIENT SUSPENSION DEVICE FOR THE FRONT WHEELS 0F MOTOR CYCLES.

Application filed May 7, 1921. Serial No. 467,569.

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I SAVILLE VVHITING, of

Street, Melbourne, in the State of Victoria, Commonwealth of Australia, a subject of the King of England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Resilient Suspen-' sion Devices for the Front Wheels of Motor Cycles; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in resilient suspension devices for the front wheels of motor cycles and refers especially to suspension devices wherein the wheel is movably connected to the front fork and laminated leaf springs and (or) cushioning devices are provided to absorb shock and jar inciiental to the wheel passing over a rough roa In the constructions at present in use in which laminated springs are adapted for absorbing the shock and ar of front wheels of motor cycles it is customary to provide a flat laminated spring above the wheel and connected to the fork carrying the wheel hub by vertical rods. This arrangement necessitates the employment of a comparatively short spring which is not very resilient in use.

The object of this invention is to provide certain improvements in the resilient sus pension devices for the front wheels of motor cycles in which useis made of a twin or duplicated .flat laminated spring of greater length than heretofore whereby increased resiliency is obtained and a construction accorded which is more efficient in use.

I accomplish the above mentioned object by mounting the ends of the axle'of the front wheel removably in T-shaped or bell crank levers having their leg portions or oneof their ends extending rearwardly and pivot ed to the sides of a yoke shaped frame rigidly connected to the fork and passing around the back of the wheel and in providing a movable connections between the depending arms of the lever and the working ends of quarter-elliptic springs clamped to the sides of the said yoke shaped frame and in providing a rigid connection between the said lever and the piston of a dash pot or other cushioning device mounted on the front fork of the cycle above the wheel, the various parts constructed and arranged whereby when the front wheel is thrust upwardly by forcible contact with inequalities in the roadway, the levers will pivot on the yokeshaped frame and pressure will be applied to the springs and to the cushioning device in an upward direction or in opposition to the tension on the same.

The invention consists in the features of novelty in the construction, combination andignates the front fork of the cycle thelower ends of which are connected by bolts 6 or otherwise to the ends of a yoke-shaped frame a which passes around the rear of the front wheel (Z. The sides of the yoke-shaped frame 0 near its looped end are formed with a pair of lugs 6 arranged one in advance of the other to which are connected the lower ends of stays f having the r opposite ends rigidly connected to the fork below or adjacent to the lower part of the head 9 of the cycle frame. The fork a and the yokeshaped frame 0 are shaped to provide ample room for a free play of the wheel in an upward direction and the stays 7 connect the two parts in such a way as to. form a rigid unit.

The endof the leg portion of aT-shaped lever or plate h is pivoted at z to a side of the yoke-shaped frame and depending arms or legs 7" on the said T-shaped levers or plates are adapted to support shackles 70 to the free ends of which are connected the working ends of quarter elliptic leaf or laminated springs Z arranged to exert a downward pressure on the free ends of the said levers or plates.

When the wheel (Z moves upwardly under the influence of road shock, the levers h pass upwardly on the inside of the fork a and the said levers h are set inwardly as at h to provideample clearance inside the said the arms,

By this arrangement the laminated springs are in duplicate'one being on each side of the wheel and they are level with or slightly below the hubof the wheel instead of above the same as heretofore.

shaped levers or the angle portion of the An upwardly inclined recess -0 having a rounded end is formed inthe front-ends of the levers or plates to take the ends of the axle of the front Wheel and'the said axle is retained inthe recesses by nuts 39 and Washers.

The upwardly projecting arms of the T plates are pivotally connected to the bifurcated ends of arodg which is connected to a piston o adapted to operate in a cylinders pivotally mounted on lugs t projecting forwardl y from the fork in advanceof the head of the cycle frame- The bifurcated end of the rod Q connecting the levers to= theipiston embraces the front wheel and the piston and cylinder act asa dashpot which is designedto r etard" the upward movement of and to permit of a comparatively free downward movement of the levers. i I

' In lieu of connecting the forward or working: ends of the springs Z to the levers by means of shackles, they can be slidably supn ported in recesses or slots formed horizontally. in pins or studs a fitted rigidly to" the said levers.

In operation, when a cycle is passing rappivotally or idly, over: a roadway and: the front wheel comes into-contact withany inequality therein an upward thrustis imparted to thesaid to mov upwardly in the dhshpot.

I rhent movement of the springs and the crush front Wheels; of a cycle comprising a yoke vwheel: with the result that the levers h are caused to pivot at their rear ends and so deflect the springs Zupwardly and the'piston The relOll lng." action of the dashpot absorbs all shock orjar and thereby preventsthe same being tran'smitted to j the cycle and rider.

I'elaim. I 1,; A. resilientsuspension device for the shaped member fitted rigidly to the rear of the steering forkpa inof levers pivotally ,nwuhted: at one end to the yoke shaped frame,- rneans on-thefree ends ofv the levers fore supporting; theya-Xle of thefront wheel of the cycle, a pair of'springs mounted rigidly onth yoke shaped frame and exerting a downward thrust on the free ends of the levers, a bifurcated bar connecting the free ends of the levers, a piston on the bifurcated bar, and a cylinder pivotedto the fork and accommodating the said piston.

2. A resilient suspension device for the front wheel of a cycle comprising a pair of levers pivotally mounted atone of their ends to the steering fork of a cycle, jaws in the free ends of the: levers for receiving the end of the front wheel of the cycle, a pair of springs fitted to the rigid member's-supporting the levers and arranged to exert a down Ward thrust on the free ends of the said levers, a bifurcated bar connected to the qfree'ends of the levers, and a cushioning device fitted to the, upper part of the steering fork and with which the upper end of the bar'is associated to obviate lateral displaicement of the front wheel'of the cycle."

3. A resilient suspension device 'forthe front wheel of acyclecomprising a yokes'haped frame connected rigid-1y to the steering fork of a cycle frame, a pair of levers pivotally mounted at one of their endsto the side of the yoke shaped frame, means .on the free ends of the' levers for mounting the axle of the front wheel of the cycle thereon, a pair of leaf springs, having one of their ends secured rigidly to the yoke-shaped frame and! their opposite ends movaibl y connected to and exerting a downward pressure on thefree ends of the levers, a cushioningdevice on the upper part of th-e steering fork, and means for connecting the free ends of the levers; to the cushioning: devices whereby the leverszw'ill move in unison when" th leaf'springs are' deflected; I

4. A resilient suspension deviceforthe front'wheels of cycles-comprising a yokeshaped member connecte'drigidlyto the rear of the steeringfork of acycle fra1ne,apair of levers having one of their ends pivotally mounted on the side of the yoke shaped frame, meansfor connecting the endsof the axle of' the front Wheel of the cycle to the free ends of thelevers a pair of leaf -springs having their rear ends rigidly secured to; the side of the yoke-shaped frame and their fronten'dsmovably connected toithe free ends (if-"the levers, a cushioning device on the upper part of the steering fork and' a. bifurcated b'arconnecting the freev ends of the levers to the cushioning device whereby the said levers Will move-in unison when! the springsare deflectedi j v 5-. A resilient suspension device for the: front Wheels of cycles comprisingia yokeshapedw frame connected rigidly to the-rear of the steering fork of a cycle frame a pair of T-shaped leverszhaving the ends} of their leg portions pivoted to the sidesof theyoke shapedframe,- rjecesses, in the; free ends; of

the said levers to accommodate the axle of cated rod connecting the upper arms of the the front Wheel, a shackle pivoted to the T-shaped levers to the said piston. v 10 depending arm of each T-shaped lever, a In testimony Whereof'I aflix my signature. pair of leaf springs having one of their ends 5 rigidly secured to the yoke-shaped frame SAVILLE WHITING' and their opposite ends connected to the Witnesses; shackles, a cylinder pivoted to the steering 'J. W. CULLEN,

fork, a piston in the cylinder, and a bifnr- BERTHA R. CLARKE. 

